What Was Your Final "straw That Broke The Camels Back"

[bq791 5]

My husband watches me sleep b/c he thinks I won't wake up. I have to sleep sitting up or not at all

[Magicmuffin 19]

Hi

For me the final straw came last fall, I went away for a month long training course, and even though I did my best to watch what I ate and I found a gym and was able to go a few times, I ended up regaining every pound and more that I had worked the last 2-3 years to lose.

Since my mid twenties(prior to that I was slim) I have struggled with my weight. I have tried Nutri-system, weight watchers, tai slim, I have had 2 different personal trainers and in the end I only succeeded in yo yo ing with my weight. Each time it gets harder. In addition over the years I have developed high cholesterol, asthma, clinical depression, and arthritis in my hips and knees. Am I alone? No, my dad and my brother and sister share the same story, except my brother has also added a heart attack at age 38 with 2 stent placements since, non alcoholic fatty liver disease and severe sleep apnea. We went on vacation with them this summer and I was amazed at how little he could do. And do you know what? BOTH of us have exactly the same amount of weight to lose to reach a normal BMI. I am starting menopause and I know when I am finished with that I will lose the protection for my heart that my premenopausal estrogen has given me.

I want to live a longer and better quality life.

[EdaW 12]

I'm 24 years old. I have high blood pressure, I weigh 331lbs. I have arthritis in my spine, bursitis in my hips, and nerve problems in my legs. I can barely do anything without pain. I can't get up from a chair without pain. I can't walk around the block without pain. I can't exercise enough to make a difference, so I know I need this. I am starting my journey next week with an orientation session. I considered the surgery a year ago, but decided I could do it on my own. I was wrong. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I feel 40 years older than I am. I need help. I chose the sleeve because of the numerous medications I'm on. I couldn't take them all in a decent amount of time with the lap band or roux en y. I started cutting down my portions today so that I can get closer to the sizes I'll need to eat when I have surgery. Thankfully, my insurance covers the procedure. I called today and asked, and I'm glad I did. Hopefully this time next year, I will have had surgery and have lost quite a bit of weight. This is my year to feel better. I can feel it.

I also have struggled with clinical depression, social phobia, anxiety, and other various mental issues. I'm hoping being at a healthier weight will help with this. I think part of my social phobia is that I worry about what other people think of me.

[jaygee65 7]

My final straw was being diagnosed with diabetes and seeing my weight, where I struggled at a plateau for years, of 225 rise up to 270 in three years. My kids are getting old enough to have their own families and I want to be healthy and alive for my grand kids. I want to fit in the rides at Disneyland and not the "rent a scooter to get around the park" kind of ride either!!! And the last two times I flew the seat belt almost did not close and since I fly ate set 1x a year I did NOT want to pay for another seat or buy seat belt extenders. So after 4 years going back and forth I decided to do the surgery. Just had the sleeve done Sept 27 and am so excited to do the things I haven't been able to for years. My journey started July 2, 2012 with psyc apts, nutrition apts and a ton of other classes and doctor apts. I just weighed myself this morning and weight 229. Here goes the rest of my life! I'm so excited.

[Holly5.3 423]

For me, the last straw was not being able to get up out of the ocean surf this past July- I actually grabbed at my 16 year old nephew to help save me! Embarrassing!!! Oh yeah, showing off the "new" me- I gained 77 pounds after losing 70 a year before! Fun!! Slip on shoes-can't bend!! Huff 'n Puff Holly- I can't breathe!! Surgery next Thurs. - I've lost 22 Pre-op (I'm hungry, but dedicated!) I can't wait to get this party started! (scared, too!)

[Sarah P Smith 14]

My final was back in 2010 I went through all the procedures to have the gastric bypass surgery. My Father asked me not to have it. I respected his wishes. I went through 2011 with regret of not doing it. I had lost about 60 pounds just drinking the Protein. My lifestyle keeps me on the move all the time. My weight is a problem as I get older my legs and feet hurt really bad. Sometimes I hate to get out of bed. My BMI is over 50 at the present I'm in so much pain some days I go on anyway and try to keep a good attitude in the process. I recently made up my mind I was doing it. I was gonna go to Mexico and Cash in my 401 k to pay for everything. My father again requested I not do it. He gave me this big speech about having will power. When he seen I was determined to do it. He had a change off heart. I'm starting from scratch.

[Holly5.3 423]

Awe, you are certainly a girl who loves and respects her dad-admirable quality! I bet your dad has old fashioned ideas about WLS. Maybe you should bring him to a seminar and/or the surgeons appointment with you, if possible. My surgery is next week and while I'm open and honest about it, I'm surprised with some feedback I've received, too. People don't know about the sleeve and the harmones that affect some people who CAN lose weight, we just can't keep it off for long and ultimately regain what was lost - plus more! That's just not the best quality of life! Good luck, hopefully you can go forward with the surgery this year!

[imlosingit 130]

Externally I was dead set against weight loss surgery, internally, I wanted and needed change. I had been on two rounds of phentermine, I had lost gained and lost gained. I was so tired of the rollercoaster and then one day my sister told me she was having the sleeve. I looked at her (now realizing with envy) and said "I would do it on my own, I didn't need help!"

She knew all to well my struggles as she had been on the same journey her entire life.

The final straw was just a few months later when my sister was about 2 months post op, and I called her crying, depressed again about my weight. She said to me "You can continue trying on your own without success for an additional 2-3 years, or in 2-3 years be healthy and happy." She was right and I began the process the following week.

My surgery is next Wednesday and I am READY for a change.... a good change.

[TheGamer 406]

I'm probably a bit strange in that there wasn't anything that lit the "must lose weight now" fire. Having been fat most of my life, it wasn't anything new. Tried and failed numerous diets and after the last one didn't hold, I basically made peace with being fat and enjoying all the eating that entailed. I knew that doing another diet would end the same way as all the others, so I should probably just embrace not dieting. I basically got fed up with the deprivation and the constant feeling of starvation.

Then someone at work told me that if you were over a certain weight, there'd be no 6 month mandatory diet for the surgery. Oddly enough? That was my go signal! I signed up for a hospital seminar that same night and started my surgery process. I have surgery on the 22nd of October! It's the first time in a long time I've felt like this time, it'll work.

[50=newme 12]

The death of my sister at age 53.

She was the largest girl of 11 children. Now, i'm that girl & I turned 50 yesterday. Plus, it is so hard to wipe your highny when you are tapping on 300 lbs.

[Holly5.3 423]

The death of my sister at age 53.

She was the largest girl of 11 children. Now' date=' i'm that girl & I turned 50 yesterday. Plus, it is so hard to wipe your highny when you are tapping on 300 lbs.[/quote']

I am 53 and was sleeved last Thursday. I felt so physically horrible, yet with no obesity related illnesses other than Pre-diabetic (reversed on Pre-op diet) and sleep apnea, the weight was just too much on my system! I have had back issues, muscle sprains and foot surgery which now I'm sure was the result of my obesity. I want to live the rest if my life-not watch it on tv! I know if I didn't get a handle on this now, I'ld only be worse off later on. I am in some pain and discomfort but I have an incentive dress hanging in my room and when I think 'why did I do this to myself? I see my dress (2X from Target, but oh so cute!) that I'm hoping to fitin Thanksgiving! So sorry about your sister! I can't imagine losing mine. God bless you. Peace!

[desertmom 297]

I had the band in 2004 after I warned myself that if I couldnt lose the weight in one year,I was going to have an operation..lol.Big fear of mine!Well,after the failure I felt with the band I said I that I would die with that band inside me,no more surgeries for me.

In December 2011 we went on a skiing holiday to Austria.I drank more punch and gluwein than even I could believe as I was sitting in the cold watching my family ski every day.

Then I found a letter a friend wrote me years ago when I still weighed under 200 pounds where she said that with me everything has always been about my weight.

I got so sick of being so obsessed and so self centered.It was always about my weight.I have been an onlooker to my own life for so long that I just got sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.My life was lived in fear of everything and in Turkey last year when I threw a whopper about something that scared me my little kid shouted at me:Mom,you always say that we have to be brave but you are such a coward!

All this made me decide to stop being a coward and face life.That meant removing the band and getting the sleeve.

Best decision ever!

[Sharonisshrinking 82]

I've definitely had more than one straw. Not being able to go to events at my kids' schools because it's too hard to walk and do stairs, not going on rides and missing how much I loved them, having my husband always scout out the best place for us to sit in the restaurant based on booth size, having little kids whisper to their parents "She's big", not having any energy, huffing and puffing through my day, not being able to clean my own house.

I am doing this as much for my family as myself. I can't live like this any longer and I don't want to. Grief from losing twins at birth got me most of the way here, but I can't let it take control any longer. I have to be a survivor and a fighter. I am stronger than my impulses and temptations. I am strong! I can do this! Hey, WE'VE ALL GOT THIS! Look out fat - you are in my target range!!!!!!

[MiniMo 41]

Feeling older than what I am....I ididnt want to go into my thirties, unhealthy and depressed

Being able to share clothes with my sister...

Having children one day...fitting into a beautiful wedding gown...

And I want to go skydiving on my 30th birthday, weight limit is 220

I basically decided 2012 was the year of change...

[LessLei 4]

Being on a European flight from Dublin to London on Ryanair.. and the lap belt BARELY clipping into place. Definitely had a meltdown and decided enough was enough. I'm a pretty stubborn person and I've already changed my eating habits and lifestyle.. I just felt I needed this intervention to keep me motivated to stick with it. The insulin resistance was working against my body.

Not green lighted or scheduled yet. Just had my first class..